BUNCOMBE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

PRESENTATION TO COMMISSIONERS
March 5, 2019

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
Click to edit Master title style
21st Century Policing
Why is implementing 21st Century Policing crucial for Buncombe County?

“Trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they protect and serve is
essential in a democracy. It is key to the stability of our communities, the integrity of
our criminal justice system, and the safe and effective delivery of policing services.” -
Task Force on 21st Century Policing

I am asking you today to invest in the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office with the
understanding that 21st Century Policing is the strategic framework that will guide our
work and decision-making.

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Bringing the community, law enforcement and local government together

Residents of Buncombe
County
• Participate in problem-solving efforts to reduce crime and
improve quality of life. Community
Buncombe County Commissioners
• Create listening opportunities with various areas and
groups in the community. Listen and engage in a dialogue
regarding concerns or issues related to trust.
• Conduct community surveys on attitudes toward policing,
and publish the results.
Buncombe County Sheriff's Office Law County
Enforcement Commissioners
• Review and update policies, training, and data collection
on use of force, and engage community members.
• Increase transparency of data, policies, and procedures.
• Ensure officers have access to the tools they need to keep
them safe.
Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
Click to"Safe
edit and
Master title style
effective delivery of policing services"
Requesting 10 positions for Policing and Public Safety :
• Crime Prevention Sergeant
• 8 Patrol Deputies
• Evidence Room Technician

The Sheriff’s Office is committed to partnering with communities to engage in neighborhood problem solving.
The Crime Prevention Sergeant and Patrol Deputies will focus on community engagement as a means to
increasing public safety. The current level of resources requires us to be driven by call volume and prevents us
from having the opportunity to engage at a level that will have lasting impact.

The position of Evidence Room Technician plays a critical role in ensuring the public trust in maintaining the
integrity of the property and evidence handled by our agency on a daily basis. We currently house in excess of
thirty one thousand pieces of property and evidence. Poor handling of property and evidence whether by
intentional wrongdoing or lack of oversight by under staffing only serves to erode the public trust.

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Increase in Need
Positions in Patrol Little Change in
90
Resources
80

70 • Increasing number of
60 calls for service
50
• 10% growth in
40
population since 2008
30

20
• 10% growth in the
10
number of tourists
0
since 2014
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

On average, 12-14 patrol deputies currently cover 656 square

miles per shift. Request increases coverage to 14-16 patrol
deputies per shift.
Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Evidence Housed by Type
Over 31,000 pieces of
evidence
26% BCSO currently has 2 full-time
positions. For comparison, APD
has 5 full-time and 4 part-time
positions for their evidence and
property room.
6%
66%
2% 33% of the evidence housed in
the Sheriff’s Office Evidence and
Property Room is considered
“high profile evidence” and
Drugs Guns Cash All Other
requires more stringent internal
controls:
• Cash
Current staffing level does not allow Sheriff’s Office to
maintain the “two person rule,” which is a best practice in • Drugs
handling high profile evidence. • Guns
Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 "Integrity of our criminal justice system"
Requesting 5 positions for Detention :
• 4 Intake Specialist/Detention Officers
• 1 Detention Facility Detective

Adding Intake Specialists will allow us to change the culture of the Detention Facility. By implementing an
Intake Specialist on each operational squad, we can adopt a new mindset in regards to service delivery. At the
initial entry of an arrestee to the Detention Facility, an Intake Specialist will evaluate through a questionnaire any
force used in an arrest, the impaired or intoxicated level of an arrestee, and the need for any medical attention
including the need for overdose treatment. All of this occurs before the arrestee enters the Detention Facility.

The Detention Facility Detective will play a critical role in building public trust and maintaining the integrity of
our Detention Facility. Inmate incidents occur daily in the Detention Facility that could be criminal violations or
administrative rule violations. Our goal is the safety and security of the inmates as well as our staff. Conducting
interviews following incidents and documenting those findings will help us to develop proactive preventive
strategies.

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Buncombe County Detention Facility

Assaults on Officers and Other Inmates

Average Number of Bookings Per Day: 35.4 60.0

50.0
Number of Bookings Per Year: Over 12,000
40.0

Increasing Number of Assaults

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 (July to
February)

Number of Assaults on Officers Number of Inmate Assaults

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Oversight and Transparency
Requesting 3 positions for Oversight and Transparency:
• Technology Officer
• Policy Analyst
• Sergeant Professional Standards

The department currently has one position that provides internal IT support and tests, acquires, deploys, and
maintains technology solutions available to the Sheriff’s Office. The Technology Officer will ensure existing
technologies, such as radios, and new technologies, such as body worn cameras, are appropriately tested,
supported, and managed. Transparency and accessibility through technology are paramount in maintaining
community trust.

The Policy Analyst position will review and update Buncombe County Sheriff's Office policies, ensuring they
comply with legislative changes, and make them accessible to the public via the Buncombe County website.

The position of Sergeant Professional Standards is needed to ensure that current practices have been
thoroughly reviewed through the lens of moving to the oversight necessary to build and maintain community
trust in the agency . Opportunities to improve service delivery to the community and prevent negative
behaviors is critical to the success of the office and our people.
Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Building Community Engagement
Requesting 3 positions for Community Engagement:
• Community Outreach Lieutenant
• 2 Community Outreach Advocates

The Community Outreach Lieutenant and Community Outreach Advocates will help to change
the culture of our agency. Moving forward it is imperative that we take a new approach and adopt a
new mindset for our deputies based on innovative approaches of 21st Century Policing.

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Overview of requested positions and investment
Requesting 21 new positions:

Policing and Safety

• Crime Prevention Sergeant
• 8 Patrol Deputies
• Evidence Room Technician
Detention
• 4 Intake Specialist/ Detention Officers
• Detention Facility Detective
Oversight and Transparency
• Technology Officer
• Policy Analyst
• Sergeant Professional Standards
Community Engagement
• Community Outreach Lieutenant
• 2 Community Outreach Advocates

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Request Summary
The 21 position request requires an initial investment of $1,269,000 this fiscal year.
Program Revenue Expenditure
Patrol $276,863
Training/Community Outreach $203,029
Sheriff’s Expenditures $35,119
Detention Facility $128,585
Support Operations $25,496
Capital (vehicles for 15 of 21 positions) $600,000
Federal Housing Revenue $315,000
Net Cost $954,092

Ongoing, this is an investment of $1,577.294 per year, which is a 4.13% increase over the
FY19 budget.
Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Fleet Needs
A recent survey of law enforcement agencies found that it was standard practice to replace Priority
1 vehicles between 80,000 and 100,000 miles (North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association and Federal
Bureau of Investigation).

• Buncombe County’s standard operating procedure has been to try to repurpose Priority 1
vehicles after 120,000 miles
– The Sheriff’s Office is currently operating the following:

Number
Total Fleet 267
Priority 1 Vehicles 144
Priority 1 Greater than 120,000 48
Priority 1 Greater than 150,000 14
• Sporadic replacement cycle has resulted in a need for significant catch up to maintain a healthy
fleet

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 Sheriff Fleet Replacement
45

40 Total Fleet: 267

35

30

25
To help us achieve a healthy fleet,
20 an annual investment of $1.6 million
15
for 40 new vehicles is being
requested.
10

0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Vehicles Replaced Minimum Replacement Need

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office
 QUESTIONS

Buncombe County
Sheriff’s Office